How automatic doors stay safe
Every automatic door pairs a powered operator with sensors and a controller. The sensors detect people; the controller sets how fast, how hard and how long the door moves. Get those working together and the entrance is safer than a manual door, which can be pushed or slammed.1. Activation sensors open the door early
A motion or microwave sensor opens the door as you approach, so you never walk into a closed leaf. Detection zones are set to cover the natural approach.2. Presence (safety) sensors stop it closing on you
Safety sensors watch the threshold and hold the door open while a person, trolley or wheelchair is in the way, then reverse the door on contact. This is the core of automatic door safety.3. Controlled force and speed
Opening and closing force and speed are adjustable and limited, so movement stays gentle. A door that moves too fast or too hard is the most common safety fault we correct.4. Fail-safe on power loss
With battery backup the door keeps working through load shedding and fails safe-open on power loss, so no one is ever trapped behind a dead door.5. Clear glass and visibility
6.38mm laminated safety glass holds together if broken, and manifestation (visibility markings) helps people see the glass.6. Regular servicing keeps it safe
Sensors drift and gear wears. Routine automatic door maintenance keeps the safety features calibrated – see also our troubleshooting guide if something is not behaving.Safety standards
Quality automatic doors follow international standards such as EN 16005 for power-operated pedestrian doors. For the local picture, see our automatic door compliance guide.Automatic door safety FAQ
Are automatic doors safe for children? Yes – presence sensors stop and reverse the door, and force is limited. What happens in a power cut? With battery backup the door keeps cycling and fails safe-open.Get a safe, well-set automatic door
Coetz supplies and installs automatic doors set up for safety across Gauteng, with supply nationwide. Learn how automatic doors work, browse automatic door systems, or contact our team for a free quote.
Getting it right with Coetz
When it comes to automatic door safety, the details decide the outcome – the operator rating, the sensor package and a clean installation, all built to recognised automatic door technology safety principles. Coetz specifies each entrance to its real traffic and building rather than a one-size-fits-all kit, so the door opens smoothly and closes safely from the first day.
Coetz has years of experience with automatic entrances across South Africa, from single shopfronts to multi-door developments. We install to standard, commission every safety function, and back the entrance with service and genuine spare parts, so it keeps working long after the invoice is paid.
Planning early is the simplest way to keep a project on budget and on time. Getting the power supply, the opening and the safety package right up front avoids rework and return visits later.
Ready to move ahead? Tell us your opening size and traffic level, and we will recommend the best option and a clear, itemised price.
Backup power and access control
Battery backup, fail-open or fail-secure behaviour and the manual release are decisions about the building, not the operator, so they belong in the specification for automatic door Safety from the start. The same is true of access control — readers, buttons, intercoms and time clocks all interrupt or enable the operator, and retro-fitting them is mostly cable and ceiling work.
Matching the system to the traffic
Count the people, not the doors: one cycle is one open-and-close, so a doorway used by hundreds of people a day is doing far more work than the same doorway in a quiet office. That count, the opening width and the glass weight decide which system suits automatic door Safety.
- Single sliding for shops, receptions and clinics.
- Bi-parting for malls, supermarkets and hospital corridors — openings up to 5000 mm.
- Telescopic where the wall beside the opening is short.
- Swing operators to automate an existing hinged door.
What we check before quoting automatic door safety
The structural opening decides most of the specification, so we measure that rather than any existing frame. We then check whether the head is level and can carry an operator, what sits above the opening — a bulkhead, sprinkler line or services void all dictate where the header can physically go — and whether there is power at the head. Getting those three right before anything is ordered is what keeps automatic door Safety on programme.
How long do automatic doors last?
Life depends on traffic, environment and maintenance rather than age. The MC-125 operator is tested to one million operating cycles, and a serviced entrance comfortably outlives an unserviced one.
What glass is used?
6.38 mm laminated safety glass as standard, with the framing powder-coated to suit the building.
Comfort, access and energy
A door that opens only when it is needed keeps conditioned air inside and dust and noise out, which is the practical argument for automation beyond convenience. Set the hold-open time for the slowest user rather than the fastest, add presence detection so nobody is caught in the opening, and the entrance works for everybody who uses the building.
Estimating the traffic honestly
One cycle is one open-and-close, so a doorway used by 400 people a day is not doing 400 cycles — it is doing far more once deliveries, staff and trolleys are counted. Estimating that number before ordering is what separates an entrance that lasts from one that needs a call-out every few months, because the operator, the sensors and the service interval are all chosen against it.
What to send us for a quote
A useful quotation needs very little: the structural opening width and height, a photograph of the doorway taken square-on, a note of what is above the opening, and a rough idea of daily traffic. Tell us whether access control or a battery backup is wanted and the quote comes back complete rather than caveated.
- Structural opening width and height in millimetres.
- A square-on photograph of the doorway and what sits above it.
- Rough daily traffic, including deliveries.
- Whether access control, intercom or battery backup is wanted.
- Any deadline the entrance has to meet.
What glass comes as standard?
6.38 mm clear laminated safety glass, with tinted and performance options, quoted separately, where solar gain or privacy matters.
Can we add card readers or an intercom?
Yes. They are far cheaper included with the original installation than retro-fitted, because the cable route is open while the header is being fitted.
Automatic door safety in short
If you are pricing automatic door safety, send the structural opening sizes and a photograph and we will specify the system, the sensors and the glass against the traffic the doorway really carries. Automatic door safety are supplied, installed and serviced by one team, with spares held locally.
Ask us about automatic door safety and we will confirm the opening, the power supply and the traffic flow before quoting a fixed price.
Automatic door safety at a glance
- Pricing for automatic door safety follows the opening width, the glass and the sensor layout.
More about automatic door safety
Understanding automatic door safety helps you specify the right entrance the first time. The best results come from matching the operator, sensors and glass to the building and its traffic, then commissioning the door so it opens smoothly and closes safely. Cutting corners on any of these usually costs more later in call-outs and downtime, so it pays to get the specification right at the start.
Every site is a little different, so the automatic door safety that suits a busy mall entrance is not the same as a quiet office door. Traffic volume, opening width, safety requirements and the look of the frontage all shape the final choice, which is why a short site assessment is always worth the time before you commit.
Coetz supplies, installs and services automatic doors across South Africa, and we are happy to advise on automatic door safety for your project – from a single entrance to a multi-door development, backed by service and genuine spare parts.
Related: automatic sliding door breakout and fire rated automatic doors.
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